The lab is tackling many projects associated with mammal conservation, many focusing on bats and rodents in the southeastern US. These projects include:

Impacts of humidity and hibernaculum substrate on ​growth of the causal fungus of white-nose syndrome

This research aims to study the growth behavior of the fungus responsible for white-nose syndrome (WNS) (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) under controlled laboratory conditions. The experiments focus on understanding how this pathogen thrives under varying relative humidities and on different substrates, particularly those mimicking natural and non-natural cave environments (gypsum, sandstone, graphite) and bat wings. This work is critical to better understand how the continue spread of the pathogen will impact bat populations in less humid and mad-made environments. This work is lead by graduate student Leah Crowley and undergraduate students Logan Young and Faith Sewell.

Hibernation behavior of tricolor bats in non-traditional hibernacula​

Our long-term goal is to understand the bioenergetics and roosting requirements of tri-colored bat in culverts in east Texas. This study will help to not only understand hibernation in this specific location, but also shed light on the flexibility of hibernation behaviors across all hibernators in mild and variable climates. To achieve these goals, we are using passive monitoring techniques and bioenergetic modeling that we will compare to previous work from bat species (tri-colored and others) in colder climates. More broadly, this project will provide information about the common traits of apparently unaffected populations, and thus will help explain differential susceptibility on an individual and species level. This work is lead by graduate student Leah Crowley.

Ecological release of interspecific competition due to mortality from white-nose syndrome

Ecological release from interspecific competition due to declines in susceptible species from white-nose syndrome may result in a shift in the spatial composition and abundance of bat species on Ft. Campbell. We are using multi-species spatial occupancy analysis with 25 years of mist-netting and acoustic data to determine the impacts of species declines on non-susceptible species. We are assessing this at two spatial scales: first, we predict yearly capture rates to decline in WNS-susceptible species after WNS invasion across the study area. Second, we will determine the impact of local declines of WNS-susceptible species on the spatial occupancy of non-susceptible species. This work is lead by graduate student Dakota Van Parys.

Testing the thermal suitability of bat boxes and use in response to temperature

Recent research suggests that bat houses often over-heat during the summer due to size, placement, and over-crowding, ultimately leading to mortality in vulnerable bat species. The objective of this work is to determine fine-scale use of bat boxes in response to temperature per species. We also aim to include a community outreach component to this project, where we will work with public and private landowners to assess thermal suitability and bat use of their personal bat boxes. The results from this study will help mitigate human-bat conflicts with the understanding of how artificial roosts may not be as suitable as once thought and assessing how bats respond to these stresses. This work is currently led by lab technician Erik Anderson.

Temperature variation in bat holding bags and impacts of bat body temperature 

​Our project aims to investigate how different types of bat holding bags influence thermal regulation and how bat body temperature varies in response to ambient temperature changes. By examining these factors, we seek to gain insights into the effectiveness of bat handling techniques and their implications for bat health and conservation. This work is led by undergraduate student Gabrielle Tomboc.

Variations in functional morphology of bat teeth and links to foraging behavior

Our project aims to explore the relationship between tooth morphology and foraging behavior in insectivorous bats, focusing on different species within a specific habitat. We are using data from the literature and 3D imaging to measure surface are of teeth and other morphometrics. We will then compare between foraging behaviors (gleaners, hawking, etc.) and different insect orders (soft-bodied moths, beetles, etc.). This work is lead by undergraduate student Faith Sewell. 

Monitoring impacts of southeastern grassland restoration on small mammal communities

Extensive habitat loss and degradation have altered native grasslands in the southeastern United States. Restoration efforts, such as those in grasslands managed by the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative, may provide the necessary resources for historical wildlife communities. We are assessing restoration efforts by estimating the small mammal community composition between a restored grassland, an unrestored grassland, and a remnant grassland in Tennessee. We are using a combination of small mammal live-trapping, camera trapping, and acoustic monitoring to assess small mammal species diversity among the treatments. ​This project is lead by graduate students Ryan Stuart and Dakota Van Parys and has lots of help from undergraduate volunteers, including Casey Kleinhans, Gabrielle Tomboc, Jaron Sedlock, Kaia Raines-Ownby, Macee Roberts, and Kamaya Holloway.

The impacts of intraguild competition and predator-prey relationships on mammal occupancy in a restored grassland

We aim to understand the effects of surrounding habitat composition, intraguild interactions, and predator-prey relationships on the presence of meso-carnivores, within multiple prairie restoration sites of the Tennessee Cumberland Plateau. Using multi-species occupancy, we aim to evaluate; 1) the effects of landscape variables on the spatial occupancy of meso-mammal species (), 2) to study the intraguild relationships on spatial occupancy of coyote (Canis latrans), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and the raccoon (Procyon lotor), and 3) the effects of predator-prey interactions on spatial occupancy of these species.  This research is led by graduate student Ryan Stuart.

Gut passage time in southeastern bats and impacts of environmental temperature

Our project aims to study the gut passage time of bats by tracking the movement of glitter-covered mealworms through their digestive system, and correlate this with variations in environmental temperature. This research will provide valuable insights into how bats process food under different temperature conditions, contributing to our understanding of their physiological adaptations. This work is led by undergraduate student Caroline Miller.